Chapter 236: Hielos Decision
The captain then continued loudly, “The legion engineers often tell us that ‘building a flat road will make walking easier, and digging ditches for the sewage and taking away the garbages can keep the city clean, while the viaduct brings clear water directly into the city, saving us the trouble of carrying the water back and forth and allowing for the continuous use of water….’
Praetor Hielos had also told us of what lord Davos had said, ‘All facilities that gives convenience to the people in Thurii should also be build in other cities of Theonia, so that every Theonian citizens, whether in Thurii or in other cities, can enjoy a clean and convenient life!….’”
The excited voice of the captain had attracted some of the soldiers that were working to look. For fear of causing any misunderstanding, Sisticos no longer talked back and the captain also did not want to say anything more to the Crotonian envoy who looked down on the Lucanians.
While walking quietly, Sisticos saw scholar like people measuring something with instruments at the corner of the street(it’s a framing square which is used to measure whether the building is perpendicular or not) and some people use lime powder to draw lines on the roadside and telling the soldiers where to dig the ditch…everyone’s expression was so attentive and had made Sisticos to be somewhat interested.
The Greeks can build solemn and grand temples, grand arenas, exquisite and solid amphitheatre…even though they have the most advanced construction technologies in the Mediterranean of this era, they do not apply it to improve the lives of the people. And the people are also used to their simple material life and devote their energies to politics, sports, competitions, drama…it seems that the Theonians are the only one that invest a lot of manpower and material resources in roads, bridges, ditches, viaducts, and other infrastructure that the Greek city-states are not willing to do. Sisticos has never been to the newly build Thurii, but the Theonian road is quite famous in the whole Magna Graecia, and it seems that even the barbaric Lucanians yearns for the way of life created by Theonia, so there must be something attractive about it…unconsciously, he arrived at the city hall of Aprustum and met Hielos, who had just taken his post for only less than two days, and the temporary garrison officer – Asistes.
After listening to the request of Sisticos, Hielos and Asistes became slightly surprised. After all, the bloody war with Crotone has just ended and has now become allies. But the Crotonians, who were once their enemies, are now asking them for their help….
Even though the two strategoi have been on the battlefield for a long time, they still somewhat have a hard time accepting it emotionally.
Hielos said with cautiousness, “Helping Crotone to defend against Locri means that Theonia will fight Locri. Deciding such a huge decision is not up to us as it needs the permission of the senate of Theonia.”
“We naturally understand this. Therefore, we have also sent another envoy to Thurii on a fast ship. But Locri’s army has already invaded our land and started burning our villages and killing our people…I am afraid that once the order of the senate of Theonia arrives, many of our people would have lost their lives! And a lot of houses will be burned down!….” Sisticos begged and said with tears, “Since the foundation of Theonia, you have always kept your promise. So as an ally of Crotone, will Theonia just watch Crotone suffer and perish?!”
The two strategoi who did not have much political experience felt a bit embarrassed. So Asistes could only say that on the ground that the matter was so important, they would need to discuss it, and so he led Sisticos, who was wiping his tears, out.
When Asistes returned to the hall, Hielos had already regained his composure and said, “Asistes, I will agree to the request of the envoy of Crotone. I will send our troops to the west bank of the Targines river to prevent Locri from entering the core area of Crotone.”
“What?! You will make lord Davos extremely angry if you go to war with Locri without the permission of the senate!” Asistes remembered that in Nerulum, Sesta had taken the initiative and caused himself to be criticized by Davos, so he immediately shook his head like a rattle, “No! This will definitely not work!”
“Who said that we need to go to war with Locri in order to stop them? We will instead do this….” Hielos said carefully of his own considerations.
After hearing this, Asistes thought about it carefully with a slight worry on his face, “Isn’t this too risky?! What if Locri really attacks our troops regardless of everything?”
“Asistes, you should know that even though Theonia Union had only been established for only less than a year, we have a high reputation in Magna Graecia, not only for our successive military victories, but also because lord Davos had always led us to stick to our own beliefs! When we were very weak, we didn’t even give up our alliance with Thurii in the face of the powerful Crotone. Now that our allies are asking us for help, and don’t lend a helping hand even though we can, then what is the use of the defense alliance agreement that we have just signed with Crotone?! What will the Crotonians think? When we came here, Lord Davos and the senate warned us that we should keep the peace and friendship with Crotone, so in this situation, can we still achieve it?! Will the other city-state in Magna Graecia still believe that we Theonians can keep our promise? I know that if lord Davos was in the face of this situation, he would not hesitate to send troops to protect Crotone! If Locri dares to attack, then we would just fight back without hesitation!”
Asistes was slightly touched after hearing Hielos say those words with seriousness, and defended himself in a low voice, “It’s not that I do not agree in sending troops, it’s just that I want to get the instruction of lord Davos first.”
“It would take more than a day at the earliest for the order to arrive, and by then, Locri would have already crossed the Targines river and caused great losses to the outskirts of Crotone. Since we want to help Crotone, then it is a must to be there when they need us the most!”
Hielos spoke with a firm and powerful tone, and Asistes was moved by it, “Erm, I agree. But we need to send a herald to Thurii as soon as possible to explain our decision!”
“That’s natural!” Said Hielos and nodded.
Sisticos was informed by Hielos that Theonia would fulfill their agreement and Aprustum would send troops to help Crotone defend their territory. Sisticos was unable to restrain his excitement and repeatedly thanked Hielos and Asistes.
Once Hielos made the decision to set out, the whole Aprustum began to take action, and the 2,500 troops of the third legion were quickly assembled and were led by Asistes to immediately set out south, while Hielos just left about 500 men to defend Aprustum.
. . . . . . . . . . . . .
The thousand men vanguard of Locri met almost no resistance and smoothly approached Targines river, while leaving behind a piece of ruins. If it was the ancient times hundreds of years ago where the war between the city-states was still tender, the two sides would have agreed on the time and place for the battle, and before the battle starts, there was even a duel between warriors, and the victorious side seldom chased the loser. But now, the war between city-states became very fierce with the defeated side getting destroyed. Therefore, when the powerful party were to attack, the weaker side naturally can only hide in their city and defend, and if the attackers are not willing to attack the city, then they can instead choose to destroy the farmlands, burn villages and slaughter people…it’s a common practice in order to force the other side to fight. For example: During the Peloponnesian War, when Sparta attacked Athens by land, Athens knew that they could not compete with Sparta, so the Athenians hid in the long wall of Athens, which had led to the Attica region to be trampled by into a barren wilderness.
These means can also weaken the morale of the enemy city-state, just like what the Theonian soldiers did in Crotone and what the Crotonian soldiers did on the Sybaris plains. And the decades-long feud between Locri and Crotone had given the people of Locri another purpose in doing these things – to vent their anger. Therefore, they did it thoroughly and had even slowed down their march.
Hearing that the Targines river was not far ahead, the soldiers of Locri wished to cross it immediately and rush into the core of Crotone to burn and loot. But when they rushed to the west bank of the Targines river, they found an army in front of them blocking their way.
Theophantes, the strategos who was leading the army of Locri, began to murmur to himself, ‘Didn’t the navy say that Crotone had sent all their soldiers and had emptied their city? Are they newly recruited freemen?’
When he looked closely, he saw that the army in front of him was arranged in a neat phalanx formation, and each of them was tall and upright, with helmet, chest armor, shin armor, round shield, spear, which is a full hoplite equipment. The whole phalanx formation was silent like a mountain, but their oppressive momentum had made the Locris, who were still talking and laughing, become quiet.
“Look at the flag!” Someone pointed to the center of the phalanx formation on the opposite side, which was holding a red flag high, and exclaimed.
The soldiers with good eyes can see that at the top of the flag is a bronze statue with wings and a sword.
“That looks like the god of death.” Said someone with uncertainty.
God of death?! Theophantes remembered what Metofeles, who had just returned to Locri a few days ago, told the council regarding what he had seen and heard in Theonia. He immediately realized that this unusual army ahead was not from Crotone, but Theonia, who had forced Crotone to make peace with them not long ago, a mysterious city-state that did not even exist a year ago, but is now playing an important role in the city-state alliance in Magna Graecia!
Theophantes immediately became nervous and began to reorganize his scattered ranks.
At this time, a small group of cavalry came from the opposite side and stood about 50 meters away from the formation of Locri. And the strategos in the middle, wearing a helmet with a purple crest, spoke out loud, while the other cavalry served as the herald, “I am Asistes, a senior centurion of the third legion of Theonia Union! Theonia and Crotone have signed a defensive alliance, and according to the agreement, Theonia has the responsibility to protect the territory of Crotone! Locri, Theonia has no intention to go war with you, but if you continue to stay in the lands of Crotone, then we will have to drive you out!”
A commotion in the formation of Locri broke out.
Damn! Theophantes murmured, and the most worrying thing had finally happened.
When the news of the alliance between Theonia and Crotone reached Locri a few days ago, it had shocked the whole council and everyone began denouncing Crotone for their shamelessness and cowardness.